Experience culture and volcanic scenery

This stunning tour combines Ecuador with and the amazing nature
of the Galapagos Islands. Experience culture and volcanic scenery
before flying to the beautiful Galapagos Islands to see some of the
world's most unique and fascinating wildlife.

Ecuador & The Galapagos Islands 2018Tour Details

To Quito

We depart London Heathrow and fly via Amsterdam to Quito, the
capital of Ecuador. From here we transfer to our hotel. On
Day 2, we embark on a guided city tour of historic
Quito, which at 2,850m above sea level, is the highest capital in
the world. Our tour takes us through the vibrant Old Town, the
first location in the world to earn UNESCO Heritage status. The
historic centre is rich in monuments and classical Latin American
architecture.

We pass a number of Quito's stunning religious buildings,
including the 19th century Cathedral of Quito and the impressive
Basilica del Voto Nacional. The highlight of the tour is arguably
the 200-metre tall El Panecillo, a hill topped with a statue of a
Madonna.

Cotopaxi National Park

Today we board tour coach bound for Cotopaxi National Park,
stopping en route for a guided tour of Sangolquí's traditional
Andean market. Arriving at Cotopaxi National Park, we enjoy an
accessible hike around the glacial lake Limpiopungo along with a
lunch of traditional Ecuadorian cuisine. Next is a journey by coach
through the Avenue of Volcanoes to Riobamba.

These volcanic ashfields rage for over 200 miles and are home to
Chimborazo, the region's highest peak standing at 20,565 feet above
sea level.

The Devil’s Nose Train

This morning we board the 'Nariz del Diablo', or Devil's Nose
Train, making the return trip to Alausi. Finally completed in 1902
after twenty-five years of failed attempts and frustrated plans,
the railway line is a truly staggering feat of engineering. The
most difficult stretch of track to build was the near-vertical wall
of rock known as El Nariz del Diablo (The Devil's Nose). Facing a
130km wall of rock, engineers devised an ingenious and nail-biting
switchback system to scale the summit. This involved carving a
series of tight zig-zags out of the rock, allowing the train to
climb the side of the mountain by going forwards then climbing
backwards up the next section of the tracks. The Devil's Nose Train
climbs 800m at a gradient of 1-in-18, one of the steepest rail
climbs in the world. Continuing by coach to Ingapirca, we visit the
ancient Incan ruins before making our way to Cuenca.

Cuenca sightseeing

Ecuador's third largest city is regarded as its most beautiful,
retaining the charm of a small town despite a large a growing
population. The city was founded partly on top of an existing Inca
settlement, which itself had developed in place of a previous
Cañari town. Today the city boasts a wealth of preserved colonial
buildings and architecture which we explore on a guided tour that
includes the Plaza of San Sebastian, Museum of Modern Art, a local
flower market, as well as the city's main square, the landscaped
Plaza Abdon Calderon. After lunch together at a local eatery, we
explore Cuenca's long-lived crafting history with visits to both a
ceramics factory and Panama hat workshop.

Cajas National Park and the Galapagos

Travelling by coach, we make our way to Cajas National Park,
known for its high-altitude cloud forests and a plethora of
intriguing wildlife. The native habitat of indigenous rabbits,
ducks and trout, this enormous park also plays hosts to more
intriguing species such as giant hummingbirds, bears, pumas, Andean
tapir and condors. The history of this protected area is also
captivating and has been visited for centuries, originally for
religious purposes by the Cañari tribe who's people were moon
worshipers and found this area an optimum spot for communing with
both nature and the gods. Continuing to Guayaquil, we stop for
lunch before checking into our hotel, the Wyndham, for the
night.

On the morning of Day 7, we leave Guayaquil and
fly to Baltra Island. We transfer to our ship, the Galapagos
Legend. We begin our cruise of the incredible Galapagos Islands in
Mosquera Islet, where we might see a large, resident colony of sea
lions. There is also the chance to go swimming or snorkelling here,
before re-boarding the boat for dinner.

Situated a thousand kilometres off the west coast of Ecuador in
South America, the Galapagos Islands, an archipelago of thirteen
volcanic islands, is a destination truly unlike any other on earth.
It is not simply their barren, unspoilt beauty that makes these
islands so special, nor is it their fascinating history, but, as
the naturalist Charles Darwin discovered upon arrival in the early
nineteenth century, it is the wildlife of the archipelago that
makes this destination both unique and unforgettable. Here,
sun-kissed golden beaches are crowded not with people but with
basking sea lions that are totally unafraid of humans. Evolutionary
isolation from the attentions of human beings have freed the many
rare mammals, bird and reptile species that inhabit the Galapagos
Islands from fearing man, meaning it is this spot that allows for
man and beast to coincide more peacefully than anywhere else in the
world.

On Day 8, we journey to Puerto Egas on Santiago
Island, where we swim and snorkel with marine turtles. We then take
a walk on the Island to witness the incredible array of birds that
live amongst the rippling black lava flows. Then, flowing lunch on
board, we land on Rabida Island and take a boat ride along the
shore, soaking in the almost martian red sands of the beaches, and
looking out for seals, yellow warblers, and the Darwin finch, named
for naturalist Charles Darwin, whose exploration of the Galapagos
Islands helped inspire his revolutionary book, 'On the Origin of
Species'.

Urbina Bay

A highlight of our time on the Galapagos Islands is today's stop
at Urbina Bay, the natural habitat of the indigenous giant
tortoise, as well as many other unusual animals. On the other side
of the Isabela Island, this afternoon we learn about the topography
of the area. Day 10 includes time at
Espinosa Point and the opportunity to snorkel in the rich waters of
the Bolivar Channel.

The Journey Home

This morning we enjoy a final excursion into the highlands of
Santa Cruz Island, the best place to spot the largest tortoise
species in the world. That afternoon we transfer to Baltra for our
flight to Guayaquil. Here we join our flight to London, via
Amsterdam, arriving on Day 12.

Please note

Departure Times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be
found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices
& Availability' button. We write to all booked customers
approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise
the exact departure and return time for their particular group.